Fat Tuesday

 
We like to cook according to holidays, traditions, or any kind of festive theme.  Right now it's Mardis Gras, and last night was Fat Tuesday.  I saw something on the news about a restaurant in town that was serving a special New Orleans-themed dinner, so I decided to just make my own.

I came up with vegan jambalaya.  It was mostly inspired by Alicia Silverstone's recipe for the traditional dish, but I altered it enough to make it my own.  C'est délicieux!

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 red pepper, cut into large pieces
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 4 slices vegan bacon or vegan pepperoni
• 1 cup long grain brown rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup frozen sweet corn
• 11/2 cups canned tomatoes
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 1 cup vegan chicken pieces
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
• Tabasco sauce or Louisiana Hot Sauce (as much or as little as you like)
• Large handful of freshly chopped flat leaf parsley

Directions

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pan or skillet.  Add onion and garlic and saute for about 2 minutes.  Add red pepper, celery, and vegan pepperoni and cook until all veggies are softened.

When vegetables are softened, add rice, stir well and add tomatoes, tomato paste, and one cup of water.  Save one cup of water to add gradually as the rice cooks.  Stir rice and vegetable mixture well and add hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce.  Cover and simmer until rice is cooked, about 30 minutes.

When rice is al dente, add chicken pieces, corn and peas, chili flakes and more hot sauce if you like.

Cooke until all is heated through and rice is thoroughly cooked.

Before serving, add parsley and salt and pepper to taste.  (I actually forgot to add the salt and pepper and it tasted fine.)

Okay, so this dish makes enough to serve an army, but I handled it just fine.  I ate about 3 helpings it was so good.  Will ate only one serving, because he had made his own non-vegan Creole Gumbo dish.  It was quite a festive night celebrating Mardis Gras in San Diego!